THE PREVALENCE OF BEHCET SYNDROME IN A RURAL AREA IN NORTHERN TURKEY

  • 1 January 1988
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 15 (5), 820-822
Abstract
We conducted a field survey to establish the prevalence of Behcet''s syndrome among all the inhabitants aged 10 years or older in a village in northern Turkey. The prevalence of Behcet''s syndrome was 19/5,131. There was 13 females and 6 males. None had eye involvement. Pathergy test was positive in 6/18 (33%) and 5/19 carried HLA-B5 (26%), suggesting that the previously established association of HLA-B5 in Behcet''s syndrome is mainly true for hospital based populations. Moreover, the pathergy test was less commonly positive in milder disease.